SanDisk G3 SSD on sale: 2x speed of 7,200rpm HDD

SanDisk have pushed their latest solid-state drive out of the door, and the G3 SSD looks to be a real screamer. Available in both 60GB and 120GB capacities, the drive promises double the speed of a typical 7,200rpm hard-drive, with sequential read speeds of up to 220 MB/sec and write speeds of up to 120 MB/sec.

As for longevity, SanDisk reckon you'll be able to write up to 80TB of data to the 120GB G3 SSD before experiencing any issues, using their ExtremeFFS system that works to randomise flash memory use. You'll also get a 10 year warranty.

In return for all this, SanDisk are asking for $229.99 or $399.99 for the 60GB and 120GB SSDs respectively. They'll also be available in the UK, priced at £199.99 and £349.99 respectively.

Press Release:

SANDISK G3 SOLID STATE DRIVE SHIPS TO RETAILERS

Reliable SanDisk G3 SSD Opens Files up to Twice as Fast and is More Rugged Compared to a 7,200 RPM Hard Disk Drive

London, February 23, 2010 – SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ: SNDK), the global leader in flash memory cards, today announced that it has begun shipping its SanDisk® G3 Solid State Drives (SSD) to retailers in North America and Europe. The flash memory-based SanDisk G3 SSD offers a compelling alternative to a 7,200 RPM Hard Disk Drive (HDD) for many customers – including do-it-yourself enthusiasts, IT managers or anyone seeking increased durability and performance with high reliability.

“Our rugged drive enables a superior customer experience by delivering extended endurance and fast performance in a resilient SSD design,” said Eric Bone, vice president, retail product marketing, SanDisk. “SanDisk believes in an uncompromising development approach which insists that an SSD's long term reliability and durability are just as important as its overall speed. We’re leveraging our long history of flash memory and retail expertise to bring the SanDisk G3 SSD to market.”

· Long-term reliability: The 120 gigabyte (GB)* SanDisk G3 SSD can endure up to 80 terabytes (TB)* of data written to it over its lifetimeiv. The solid state drive uses a smart flash management system called ExtremeFFSTM technology that has the potential to accelerate random write performance and thus extend the endurance of SanDisk G3 SSDs inside computers that use operating systems such as Microsoft Windows XP and Windows 7.v

· Rugged durability: SanDisk G3 SSD uses no moving parts, enabling improved durability that helps resist drive damage. Backed by rigorous shock and vibration testing procedures and a 10-year limited warrantyii, the drive offers some of the best-in-class quality assurance that could only come from a trusted leader in flash memory.

· Fast performance: SanDisk G3 SSD opens files up to twice as fast as a 7,200 RPM HDDi, so users can enjoy faster boot-ups and improved system responsiveness. SanDisk G3 SSD has sequential performance of up to 220 megabytes per second (MB/sec) read speediii and up to 120MB/sec write speediii.

SanDisk G3 SSD is Microsoft Windows 7 certified and is compatible with Apple Mac OS X Snow Leopard as well as Windows XP, Windows Vista and Linux. The drive also supports the newest Windows 7 TRIM feature, which contributes to a substantial gain in the SanDisk G3 SSD’s performance by allowing the drive to continuously manage its resources and retain optimised performance throughout its lifespan.

SanDisk G3 SSD is available now at www.sandisk.com via the U.S. and UK e-commerce sites in 60GB and 120GB capacities with prices of £199.99 and £349.99 respectively. The drive will be available at retailers in North America and Europe soon, with exact pricing to be set by retailers.